Blackmail is a dirty word
by Dicey of Darlo
Summary: The whole blank tape scene was a hoot and Charlie was so pissed at Will I had to write a little snippet.


**Loved this scene **

**Charlies obvious anger at Will **

**Reese for once being in a winning position**

Leaving Reese's office after the debacle with the tape recording Will knew he was in for a chewing out. He had purposefully opened the door allowing

Charlie to leave first as he followed. Wills thinking being if he was in front of Charlie the other man couldn't physically kick his ass. The explosion came

quicker than Will anticipated with Reese's secretary getting a ringside seat

Charlie Skinner was furious and he turned on the other man as soon as they had left Reese's office.

"Are you a complete idiot? The tape was your bright idea and I remember you saying very clearly "Don't worry Charlie I'll set it up you just put it in your

pocket and get it out once he's incriminated himself" So William did you or did you not set the tape up? And why in the name of holy hell didn't you

listen to the Goddamn thing before you locked what was clearly a blank tape in your fucking safe!"

Will made a conciliatory gesture with his hands.

"Look Charlie I don't think right here is a good place to discuss this maybe we could take this down to your office."

Charlie turned on his heel and headed out to the elevators saying.

"Damn right we're taking this down to my office."

As the elevator doors opened Charlie stepped in and turned around facing Will he pressed his hand firmly into the other man's chest pushing him back.

"You don't get to ride the elevator you can walk I'll see you in my office. And Will don't be tempted to hang around up here and get on another elevator

remember they all have cameras I will know and I'm not fucking around here!"

The elevator doors began to close to the sound of Wills complaining.

"Come on Charlie! You can't be serious its 16 floors down. Charlie come on!"

Will banged the closed doors of the elevator with his fist and threw his head back in frustration and muttered to himself.

"Seriously seriously Charlie!"

Turning around his exasperation was increased as he faced a grinning Reese Lansing who had clearly witnessed the whole scene.

"Wow is Charlie pissed at you Will I've never seen him this mad. I suggest you start walking I wouldn't keep him waiting any longer than I had to if I

was in your shoes."

Shaking his head in annoyance at the other man in Will responded.

"Oh shut up asshole!"then turned and headed for the stairwell

Reese's comments and laughter followed him down the stairs

"Wow what a comeback such eloquence exactly what I'd expect from my leading anchor."

Will took a deep breath and kept on walking fury radiating from his body.

Charlie settled himself in his office with a glass of bourbon mulling over the recent events that occurred in Reese's office. Jesus H Christ they looked like

a couple pf morons seriously they could have given Abbott and Costello a run for their money. Of course it all had to happen in front of Reese which

made it a million times worse! Will McAvoy was going to pay for this big time. Charlie had no problem with Will making an idiot of himself but when the

good name of Charlie Skinner got dragged through the mud he was not a happy man.

A gentle knock at his door broke into his thoughts and plans for revenge. Looking up he saw Mackensie McHale and waved her in.

"Hey Mac what can I do for you?"

"You asked me to come I thought the three of us were meeting?"

Looking around the room with a puzzled expression Mac continued.

"So where is the third musketeer? Charlie what have you done with Will I thought he was with you in Reese's office?"

"He was I made him take the stairs. A man as dumb as he can be does not deserve to ride the elevator."

"I see. Well actually I don't but I can imagine. So what did Will do that has you so pissed you made him walk down sixteen flights?"

"The God damn tape was blank can you believe it! That idiot had a blank tape locked in his safe for months didn't even listen to it. So up we go to

confront Reese about the 9-11 leak I play the thing and nothing nada zilch. We looked like complete imbeciles!"

"Oh dear so we don't have a recording of Reese admitting to phone hacking?"

"No we do not and let me tell you you're damn lucky you still have an anchor-man for tonight's show."

To Charlie's irritation Mac failed miserably to hide the grin that broke out on her face and developed into full blown laughter.

"Mackenzie this is not in the slightest bit funny stop laughing right now!" Charlie admonished the woman who struggled to get her composure.

"Oh come on Charlie you have to admit this is funny. You both go up there all guns blazing to confront Reese with his illegal hacking confession and you

play a blank tape. Oh I wish I'd been there to see the looks on all your faces. I bet you guys have made Reese's day."

"I fail to see the humour in any of this Mackenzie. I do not like being made to look like an idiot in front of anyone but especially not in front of Reese."

Luckily for Mac they were interrupted by Wills arrival. Looking flushed and slightly out of puff he grimaced when he saw Mac.

"Oh joy why is she here? Don't tell me I know to help you murder me?"

"Watch it Billy I you know I don't like being called she. And I was invited we are meant to be having a meeting about tonight's rundown. It appears

however that your failure to master the technicalities of a miniature tape recorder has taken precedence over tonight's show."

Rolling his eyes at his grinning EP Will pulled out a chair to sit down next to her only to be stopped by Charlie.

"You don't get to sit go stand over at the other side of the room."

Charlie pointed to the far side of the office.

Will flung his arms out in frustration.

"Oh come on Charlie you have to let me sit I've just walked down sixteen flights of stairs surely that's punishment enough?"

Charlie shrugged his shoulders and continued to point to the far side of the office.

"You think that was punishment? Dream on kiddo now get over there so we can go through tonight's rundown, then you and I can have a chat about

what happened upstairs and why that fucking tape was blank!"

Shooting Charlie and the still grinning Mac a dirty look Will stomped over to the far side of the room and leant against the wall with his arms folded.

Mac thought it was one of the best meetings she'd ever been to Charlie agreed with everything she said and vetoed everything an increasingly sulky

Will suggested. The run down was quickly agreed and Mac got up to leave.

"Well guys that was a great meeting. Charlie try not to leave any marks visible remember he has a show to do tonight."

"Cute Mac real cute. Anyway don't you need me I think you and I need to finalise some things."

"No Will I think I've got everything covered best you stay here with Charlie and discuss the saga of the blank tape and exactly who was responsible for

said blank tape."

Laughing Mac left the office to the sound of Wills imploring.

"Come on Mac don't leave me here with him you need me!"

The door closed and Will was left alone with a scowling Charlie.

"So William do you have anything to say in your defence? I mean why in the name of all that is fucking holy did you not listen to the tape I cannot get

get my head around that fact!"

"To be fair Charlie you didn't listen to it either."

"Because you had it if I'd had it I would have listened you dumb ass!"

Will tried to interject and explain but his interruptions went unheeded as Charlie let loose all the pent up rage he had over the mornings farce. The

tirade went on for a good ten minutes with Charlie listing all of Wills failings whilst Will sat back unable to defend his inaction. Eventually Charlie's

passion was spent and he yelled at Will to get out of his office. Will gladly sidled over to the door glad to finally escape the wrath of the other man.

Unfortunately Will being Will he couldn't leave without a wise ass comment.

"So apart from the tape I thought the meeting with Reese went ok?"

"Get out of my God damn sight you complete pain in the ass."

Charlie roared as he threw his phone at the younger man.

Luckily for Will his reflexes were still fast and he managed to get out of the office and shut the door before Charlie's blackberry actually hit him.


End file.
